MAZON – The Mazon Fire Department is looking to the communities it serves to help raise money for new equipment and training.

The department will host its first-ever spaghetti dinner and raffle on Saturday at the Mazon American Legion.

“We’ve done pancake dinners in the past, but the turnout was getting lower each year, so we decided to host a spaghetti dinner as our new fundraiser,” firefighter and first responder Robbie Clavey said. “We want to make this a big fundraiser that people remember.”

Clavey, the event coordinator, said he remembers the fire department hosting a dance at the park when he was a child. The whole town turned out because it was something to do all day.

Being on the Village Board as well as the fire department, Clavey hopes to some day combine the fundraiser with the village and turn it into a Mazon fun day.

“We went door-to-door and asked the community personally to come out and support us,” Assistant Chief Thomas Sereno Jr. said. “The funds are important so we can replace equipment and further our training.”

The Mazon Fire Department is a volunteer organization, so no one gets paid for their service. It has 15 volunteer firefighters and will offer information about joining the department at the event to anyone interested.

The department offers aid to surrounding communities as they are available. The hope is people will come from everywhere to help support the department and its volunteer staff.

The event will have a DJ and a bounce house, face-painting, carnival games and a kiddie water fight.

There also will be raffle items, auction items and a 50/50 drawing.

“This is a family friendly event,” Clavey said. “The more kids, the merrier.”